Recommissioning after Coronavirus

BUT they have been made redundant since the announcement of 2nd shutdown with no hope of further employment!

 

For those of you who shop with Amazon, it's worth checking if your local heritage railway is part of Amazon Smile: okay, it's only pennies but it all adds up.

I've moved my charitable donations to the NVR.

 

A technical thing. The first scheme (Job Retention Scheme, a.k.a. furlough, paying 80%) has been extended for a month. The second scheme is the Job Support Scheme (paying two thirds of each employees' salary) which in practice won't now start until December.

From what I've read employers can still claim furlough in November, even if they have made other people redundant earlier in the JRS.

Patrick

 

I believe furlough has now been extended to March 2021 at 80%, which should give some breathing space.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54824120

 

There's also an organization called easyfundraising too. I know the LNERCA are registered with them. They have a variety of retailers that they represent, like Amazon, eBay and Halfords to name but three.......

 

Not Amazon any longer

 

Curious. I have easy fundraising bookmarked and when I enter Amazon it comes up as one of their options. Having said that Sainsbury's were but are no longer......

 

Correction noted - I normally rely on the browser extension to tell me when somewhere takes Easyfundraising, and it doesn't pick up Amazon, though I agree you can get there from inside the home page.

 

Amazon donate to charities if you join "Amazon Smile" and no longer have anything to do with "Easy Fundraising"

 

I wasn't knocking. Just highlighting another fundraising organization, with Amazon as one of a selection of outfits that easyfundraising offer. As this screen shot of the front page shows.......

 

Not sure if this is really the right thread but I did not want to start another one on Covid but with the UK Government extending furlough contributions, potentially until March, how are railways viewing this. On the one hand with little income coming in there must be a temptation to save costs by keeping paid staff on furlough. Against that though there is obviously a desire to get on with "off season" maintenance. Before the change in rules I presume most railways were intending to bring all staff back, if they had not already done so., where as now is it a case of balancing the pennies against getting work done?

 

You have to take a view: when are we likely to begin operating again? If you feel optimistic then the maintenance has to be kept up, shop and catering staff may be another matter. Lockdown won't stop timber sleepers rotting or the drains clogging up.

Has anyone managed to find a Covid safe method of spot re-sleepering with hardwood sleepers, and if so, what is it?

 

You mean like this?

 

So what does the new tier system mean for railways? The way I read it it feels like railways in tier 2 are ok, but not tier 3? Albeit even in tier 2, you couldn't have members of more than 1 household in say a compartment travelling together. Either way, it feels like it's going to be a difficult festive season for all heritage railways.

 

Apparently the Kirklees light railway have consulted experts and their local authority and believe they are allowed to open in tier 3. Their statement is only on their facebook page though.

 

Also on their web site.
https://www.kirkleeslightrailway.com/article.php/56/the-klr-covid-19

 

From their website, the Churnet Valley Railway have cancelled all their services until February as a result of being put into tier 3.

https://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk



From their website, the Severn Valley Railway staying open throughout Christmas.

https://www.svr.co.uk/NewsItem.aspx?a=948

 

Off the GCR Farcebook page:-

Update: Announcement of Tier 3 restrictions - 26th November 2020
We have just learned that Charnwood is to be under Tier 3 restrictions from 2nd December until at least 16th December.


We are currently in discussions with Charnwood Borough Council regarding the impact on our Santa Express trains, and a meeting of our own management team is taking place early on Friday morning.

We will publish an update on this page tomorrow (Friday 27th November 2020) with news.

We will also contact every customer who has booked in advance for our Santa services by e-mail during Saturday 28th November to advise of the situation, and remind customers of our refund guarantee in the event that services are cancelled.

 

From Statfold Barn’s Facebook page:

**UPDATE**

Like others we have just learned that Tamworth and surrounding areas will be in be in Tier 3 restrictions until at least the 16th December.

The Trust is in liaison with Tamworth Borough Council and a management team will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the impact that these restrictions have on the Trust and our forthcoming Santa Express Trains.

We will publish an update on our social media pages and website as soon as possible.

We will also contact every customer via our email to advise them and keep them updated.

Please bear with us during these unprecedented times.